Changelings patrolled the site of the battle. Speaking in wingbeats, as only they can, they reported to one another without alerting the enemy. Drone ordered them to be on the lookout for a mysterious horse shaped creature. When the Pestilence first appeared, it seemed to be as a walking corpse that was infested with locusts. They now believed that Pestilence was itself the locusts; making its name very literal. The horse creature probably carried the locusts and provided a food source, so they could conserve energy before going into Battle. Drone however was unconvinced. He’d heard stories of the old queens great battle with the creature. It was always described as the bringer of the pestilence, and from that came the creatures name.
Their strategy was sound. The contingency forces covered the ground, forcing the locusts to stay in the air. Changelings were ordered to prevent any escape, figuring the locusts would have to go to ground eventually. For the time being they were not trying to escape.
This made of a standoff. How long could the locusts stay airborne vs how long could the frogs remain active in a dry area. Yes, your heard right. The contingency forces consisted of millions of frogs; tree frogs, horned frogs, great toads and tiny dwarf frogs. There was fifty frogs for every changeling. Chrysalis had negotiated with the frogs elders, agreeing that her people would stop eating them, and reduce the population of their enemies, the snakes. This allowed for a greater frog population then the hive had ever seen.
Daisy was exhilarated. She had never been part of a battle before. She had joined one of several groups of seven changelings, who circled the battlefield in a special pattern. The pattern was meant so as not to be a pattern, at least not a predictable one. Enemies could not predict where she would be from time to time, while the changelings created winds that cut off all escape routes. The changelings mastery of weather was no where near that of the pegasi, but they could at least create walls of barometric pressure that the locusts were not able to breach.
Her position was fourth in a line of seven. All Daisy had to do was keep up and follow the leader to get the desired cyclone effect. The changeling behind told her she was doing good, that she was a natural. A changeling two bodies up the line warned her that she had better keep up. He was given an angry look by another, for daring to do anything other than encourage. It seemed like all the changelings were just a little bit in love with the only girl of their species they knew who wasn’t their mother or their sister.
Chrysalis fought in the center of the battlefield. Green flame shot from her horn, and burned between shots, daring the locusts to challenge her. Many locusts were drawn to the flame. Did this mean individually they were not intelligent, or were they trying to kamikaze themselves to drown out the flame with their shear numbers?
Though flame was an effective weapon against the locusts, they also sought to create some rain. Rain would cause more locusts to lose flight, while keeping their allies, the frogs, from dehydrating on the battlefield.
The locusts had been scattered for some time, as though scrambling individually for escape. Now they started gathering together into a great mass. They gathered just beside a large peak in the rocky terrain.
Thinking this was her chance, Chrysalis made her horn burn brighter, and charged at the gathered locusts, determined to burn them all.
At that instance, a creature leapt from the rock peak charging at Chrysalis. A brutal kick struck at the Queens left wing, and she plowed into the ground; frogs leaping to get out of the way. She struck the ground with such force, that it made a crater. One wing broken, Chrysalis could no longer fly.
“Where had that creature come from!” Drone screeched. Drone could form some spoken words, mostly just one liners, because verbal speech was difficult to a changeling.
The creature turned somewhat transparent. It was like a chameleon, though in the darkness of the night it may as well be turning truly invisible. When it appeared again its hooves stomped on Chrysalis. The queen screamed in pain. It took all Daisy’s will not to break formation at that moment.
Shining armour stirred slightly. He hadn’t felt like this since… well actually Spike was the dragon that hosted his bachelor party, so he never really felt like this. Anyhow, his head hurt, a lot.
“Oh hey, you’re finally awake,” said Roseluck.
“What happened?”
“You were bitten by a snake, a really big one.” Roseluck spoke. Her voice had a grunting quality because she and Lily were currently pulling trailer carts uphill. Lily’s cart carried changeling eggs. There were twelve in the cart, and one very special egg in her saddle bag. Roseluck’s cart carried Shining armour, who she hoped would be able to walk on his own soon.
Shining Armour looked right then left. I remember now. Then he shot upwards. A jolt of pain almost made him fall back into the warm hay. He still had broken ribs. Again, more slowly he got up and he pointed a hoof at Lily.
“You’re a changeling!”
“I most certainly am not.”
“It’s true. I saw you catch those snakes. No pony could do that.” He was referring to an incident back at the hatchery where Lily saved his life.
Lily turned up her nose at this slanderous comment.
“Where are you taking me?”
“We don’t know. Wherever this tunnel leads us I guess.”
“The hatchery isn’t safe anymore, so we’re taking the eggs, and trying to escape.”
“Ah ha, if you’re really a pony then…” Shining stopped himself. He knew plenty of ponies who would never let harm come to an innocent unhatched egg. Even with all he suffered at the hands of changelings, he was more liable to defend an egg then crack one.
Shinning munched on some hay. In a few minutes, he got out of the cart and started walking. Roseluck abandoned her cart, and started pushing Lily’s cart from behind.
At some point the tunnel just ended. Lily fretted that they might have to turn back, when Shining noticed something above their heads. It was a plank of wood. Roseluck got up onto the cart and pushed up on the plank; Shining ready to catch her if she fell. The plank was covering a hole, which was the exit to the tunnel. Rosie slid the plank aside, but it was dark above. Eventually they figured out that the entrance / exit to the tunnel was under a bed.
Shining pushed the two mares through the hole, despite the pain in his ribs, and they poked their heads outside the covers.
Lily and Roseluck walked around exploring. It was a simple room. It had a lavish bed that looked like it had never been slept on. There was no dresser, but two book shelves, and a nightstand with a bottle of fermented nectar. Lily smelled the sweet nectar, and wished in weren’t such a bad time to stop and drink.
There was a balcony, and two doors. The first door opened to a closet. All that was inside was a picture that had been taken down.
“Hey look at this,” Roseluck called.
“What is it?” Lily took a look. It was a beautiful mare with a pink coat and golden hair. From her back sproated wings. There weren’t pegasus wings. The closest thing they could be compared to was the wings of a butterfly.
“Doesn’t this look like you?” Roseluck asked.
“Maybe a little,” Lily answered. Neither would have guessed that this was the mother of Queen Chrysalis.
They gathered up the eggs, and pulled Shining up. They had to push the bed aside and build makeshift pulley with bedsheets.
The group left through the other door, and found path that exited to Chrysalis’ throne room. On the floor was the remainder of the black potion, the one that turned Daisy into a changeling. Shining sniffed at it, not knowing what it could be.
In the distance they saw a glow of swirling sparks. Shining told the ladies to stand back and cautiously took a closer look. Then he called out with cheer “Twily!”
Twilight Sparkle and her friends ran up to them. Apparently they escaped the dungeon under the castle, and were looking for a way out. Brother and sister were reunited.
“Hey Twily what’s up with your horn,” Shining Armour asked.
“Chrysalis had some kind of green honey that blocked my magic. Pinkie uh… cleaned it off.” Actually Pinkie had licked the magic honey off her horn. “Maybe theres a buildup of power because my magic was blocked.” That’s what she told her brother, but Twilight herself didn’t believe it. After all, she only felt the power build as Pinkie was cleaning her horn. The Energy had seemed to pulse with every stroke of the pink mares tongue, until just touching it would give a jolt to Pinkie Pie. Her coat still had a bad case of static cling. Twilight would have to learn more about this phenomenon. She hoped there would be time to experiment later.
The groups compared notes on what had happened to them. Shining still insisted that Lily was a changeling, and Lily practically screamed that she wasn’t, but other then that they all got up to speed.
“So what now,” Rainbow Dash asked.
Just then, they heard the buzz of a changelings wingbeats. They turned and saw Daisy. Daisy practically collapsed in front of them.
Daisy explained that the fight was not going well, “Chrysalis sent me to find you. She says …” Daisy held back her tears. “She says, if the changelings are to die,” then at least make sure the eggs live on.”
Lily turned to Twilight. “Please,” she begged, “you have to help them.”
Twilight was all set to go, but Applejack called “Now wait just a darn pick’n minute. The changelings are our enemies too. If we jump into the battlefield, how do you know them and this Pestilence critter won’t just team up against us.”
“I’m sorry to say that is a possibility,” Rarity added.
Lily opened her saddle bad and took out her egg. Twilight saw that the glow from the egg was different from the other eggs. “This is my baby. Lily declared. She’s a changeling. What if I need help from other changelings to take care of her.”
“You and Chrysalis,” Changelings were a mysterious lot, and the details of their reproduction cycle is not known even to the most learned ponies. She did not know that an egg can adapt and be transformed by love it is given in the pre birth stage. When she heard this was the baby of Lily and Chrysalis some misconceptions may have run through her mind.
“Your baby?”
“Yes,” Lily cried.
“A changeling?”
“Yes.”
“Did Chrysalis force you.” Twilight asked.
“What,” Lily almost face faulted. “No, of course not.”
Daisy put her hoof on Lily’s shoulder. “Lily, Chrysalis told me something before I came here. That’s a queen egg. They’re one in a million. You’re the mother of the next queen. If Chrysalis dies then until that baby comes of age you’ll be queen; that’s the law of succession. Lily, if Chrysalis dies then you’ll be queen of the changelings.”
Lily went bug eyed. A million thoughts ran through her mind. How could that be? Everyone was silent for a few minutes. Finally someone cut in.
“This is good right. Chrysalis and the Pestilence might destroy one another. Then we’ll have peace with the remaining changelings.”
Lily was silent. She lowered her head. Everyone discussed the various possibilities. It was all white noise to her, she didn’t care who said what.
Finally she raised her head, and spoke with the authority of the queen she might soon be. “Save Chrysalis, save the changelings,” she demanded, “OR I’LL DECLARE WAR ON EQUESTRIA MYSELF!”
Chrysalis held her own against the Pestilence, but gained little ground. Her wing was badly broken. She suspected the creature was merely toying with her.
Finally the Pestilence pinned her. He seemed ready for the kill.
“This is how it was with the old queen,” came his raspy voice. “Except your moher was saved at the last minute. She was saved by a power you clearly don’t possess. A Unicorn saved her with the magic of…
Suddenly a massive blast struck the Pestilence in the chest, and it was blown backwards.
The changelings all turned to look at what had teleported onto the battlefield. Twilight sparkle hadn’t fired a blast like that before, ever, she didn’t even think it was possible.
The frogs looked upon the Pestilence as it stuttered to get up. locusts fell to the ground, hit by the shockwave. They should have feasted on the locusts, but the frogs saw a greater opportunity. They would show the changelings what a valuable ally their kind were. They would prove worthy of the 100 year peace they were promised.
Pinkie asked Twilight if she needed help reloading. The pink mare was joking and expected to make Twilight blush. Twilight took a moment to think about what that meant, then said “not in front of everybody, “ and gave her a wink.
“Oh Celestia!” Rainbow Dash screamed. What are those frogs doing?
“The horror! The horror!” Fluttershy covered her eyes.
Soon the Pestilence was no more.
Epilogue
It was a bit lonely for Roseluck, being the only flower pony who returned to ponyville. She was also overworked, now alone tending a flower shop that her friends once serviced together.
Fortunately she wasn’t alone for very long. In the coming year, not one, but two mares from Miss Cheerilee’s school discovered their own flower cutie marks. Roseluck allowed them both to work in the shop and mentored them with care.
Summer Marigold was a bright hearted and cheerful mare, with a golden coat and auburn mane. She was elated that her calling meant she could be surrounded by pretty flowers all the time, and fascinated by everything Roseluck took the time to teach her.
Sapphire Petal had a grey coat and predictably a sapphire mane. She was interested in darker colours, and the beauty of plants that were slightly poisonous. Other flower ponies might have found her a little odd; and some thought she should be sent off to a bigger city, where in the wider population she might find a niche group for practicing her different style of floristry. Roseluck would not have that. She encouraged her, learning new things herself, in order to hang on to her mentor role and keep the childish admiration the two girls held for her.
Twilight would send letters to Lily Valley from time to time. Celestia sent a magic fire pit to the changelings allowing them to be added to the service range of Spike mail. All correspondence was done through Lily Valley. It was a bit odd actually. Lily could talk to Chrysalis on Twilights behalf, but if she tried to address a letter to Chrysalis directly, the response would be a short and rude reminder that Lily was her ambassador. Once a letter reply from Chrysalis was limited to only two characters, F and U.
Spike also had to be Lily’s mail mare for any friend she and Daisy wanted to keep up with in Ponyville. They were chatty mares and the new responsibility actually took up a lot of the dragons time.
Twilight was a bit secretive about the progress of the peace talks, which Chrysalis wanted for some unknown reason. One day Spike delivered a letter from Lily to Roseluck and her face lit up at the contents.
In Canterlot a red ribbon was placed around the newly constructed changeling embassy. The embassy was a small piece of Changeling land on Equestrian soil.
Changelings who preferred the architecture be done to their style and specification, buzzed around the building. It was dark and gaudy, a strange mix of black chitin and honey comb. Some say Chrysalis wanted a bigger castle then Celestia in Canterlot, though it really only measured to three quarters of the size.
Eight changelings flew into Canterlot, carrying a stage wagon. “There it is,” Marigold pointed, and Roseluck looked up with excitement.
When the wagon was set on the ground, Daisy flew up and opened the door. A red carpet was rolled from the entrance to a stage set in front of the new embassy.
All were quiet, and awed. Honorary princess Lily Valley of the changeling empire stepped out. Upon her brow sat a crown identical to the one Chrysalis wore. She lifted her nose high, as though showing it off to all in the audience, and walked up to the stage.
Daisy now stood on the stage, between the great princesses of Equestria. Luna whispered into her ear, “I see that this Lily Valley is not an alicorn. What exactly makes her honorary princess of the changelings?”
“Her and Queen Chrysalis had a baby together” Daisy whispered. Luna turned beet red. The changelings being a secretive as they were, the details of their reproduction is still somewhat mysterious, and Luna may have guessed wrong as to what that entailed.
A tiny filly, stepped out of the stage wagon, just after Lily. A changeling had to help her to get out, because she was too small for the steps. Despite having hatched from an egg with a golden glow, she had a pink coat and a teal mane. She was slender. There was some baby fat on her face, yet her longer snout gave an a regal quality. She had green eyes, and even the whites of her eyes were actually a lighter green. What struck ponies most was the wings. Her wings had the insect like nodus of the changelings, however the pterostigma ( the flaps of strong fleshy material that caught the wind ) was many translucent colors; when she opened her wings, the sun passed through and made a beautiful tapestry of pinks, golds, and teal green project on the ground along with her shadow.
Upon her brow sat another small crown. The girl lifted her nose and mimicked Lily’s walk to the stage. Lily was the more regal of the two as it was clear that the filly was just cutely trying to emulate her mother.
Behind her walked a few frogs, who came because they wanted the ponies to know what a high and dignified place their kind still hold in the empire.
Lily walked up to the podium and began to speak. “Today we open our first embassy in Canterlot. Next year my daughter, Chrysanthemum Corsage, will be the first changeling to attend the Celestia school for magic. This represents a new era of peace between our societies.” She opened the floor to questions.
“Lily Valley, is it true that Changelings can feed on chocolate in place of love.”
“Yes.”
“Is it true that the peace accord actually stipulates in the fine print that it’s not valid in years where you have an insufficient crop of farmed cocoa beans.”
“Of course, we do need to feed ourselves after all.” Lily spoke as though she were a changeling herself. Twilight gulped at that last part. She had to admit the peace accord wasn’t actually her best work.
“Couldn’t we just give the changelings chocolate so they won’t attack us?”
“Changelings won’t be kept creatures dependent on the charity from ponies.”
Twilight gently nudged Lily aside, before she started a riot. “The changelings have become the number one cocoa producer in Equestria, and will even be exporting their excess to Canterlot. In fact we’ll be treating everyone to treats made with changeling chocolate after this ribbon cutting ceremony.
“Is it true you had to analyze the chocolate for transformation potions before approving it for consumption.”
“Would you prefer I hadn’t.”
“Lily, admit that you’re a changeling in disguise just like Shining Armour says you are”
“I said no further questions.”
Lily thanked Twilight for knowing when to end that press conference. She hoped things would calm down in the next year or so, when her little Chrysanthemum Corsage started school.
“It’ll be fine," Twilight assured her. "We’re making progress. By the way do you have the honey?”
Lily sighed, then had a changeling discreetly unload twelve jars from the stage coach. Twilight licked her lips at the sight of it”
“What do you even do with that stuff?”
Twilight grinned. “It’s for research.”
That afternoon Lily, Daisy, Roseluck, Summer Marigold, and Sapphire Petal all met in a tea shop. Summer a was bit nervous, while Sapphire had a million questions about what it is like for a pony to become a changeling.
Apparently Daisy and Lily opened a flower shop, in the hive. It was surprisingly successful. Changelings weren’t interested in cut flowers, except to eat but there were now planters and flower beds around every home.
Daisy and Drone now shared a room in the castle. Lily was given quarters that actually shared a balcony with Chrysalis, and it was rumoured that they kept their doors open to one another all the time.
However much life changed, these mares could still come together united by how they all shared flower shaped cutie marks.
On her first day, Chrysanthemum Corsage was escorted to school by two guards, a snake wrangler and her mom.
They entered the school grounds. With all the students watching, Lily grabbed her daughter into a hug, and kissed her forehead. Showing no embarrassment, Chrysanthemum Corsage hugged back. In fact, she didn’t seem to want to let go.
Lily mostly kept her daughter on a diet of love, believing this was better for her then giving a child excess amounts of chocolate. She hoped that hug and kiss would hold her until lunch.
A few of the blue bloods approached Chrysanthemum, wondering if she was the type of princess that would help advance their station and popularity. Chrysanthemum was polite but showed little interest. She instead found a flower garden, being tended to by a filly with a tulip cutie mark. “Can I help?” she asked. The other girl shyly offered her a shovel.
Later she saw some older colts teasing the little flower unicorn, and ran up to them.
“Hey, I’ve heard of you.” said a colt with a red mane and white coat. “You’re that changeling.”
The other colt asked, “Hey is it true that changeling queens have genetic memory.”
“Genetic Memory?” The first colt asked what that was.
“My sister read about it in a book. It means she’s got the last queens thoughts inside her head. She’d be like, Queen Chrysalis reborn.”
“Wow, cool! But no way that’s true.”
They turned they heads to face Chrysanthemum Corsage once again; then they stepped back. One pace, then two. The two colts both ran screaming in different directions.
“Twits.” Said an imposing changeling that looked exactly like Queen Chrysalis. Then with a burst of green magic, she was Chrysanthemum Corsage once again.
It might be interesting to note that Queen Chrysalis never said the word twit in her presence.
Chrysanthemum nuzzled her friend affectionately, who was still crying from the bullies abuse. The girl had seen what happened with the two colts, yet she still nuzzled back.
Chrysanthemum knew there was a reason she liked flower ponies the best.